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» One year after LGBT pride event curtailment at Vicenza, soldiers will take the stage

One year after LGBT pride event curtailment at Vicenza, soldiers will take the stage

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From Stripes.com

Bert Gillott, a U.S. Army Africa protocol officer who served more than 20 years in the Air Force under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, has been a motivating force in U.S. Army Garrison Italy's recognition of LGBT Pride month in June. He will host a discussion on Wednesday featuring LGBT soldiers, civilians and students. NANCY MONTGOMERY/STARS AND STRIPES

One year after LGBT pride event curtailment at Vicenza, soldiers will take the stage

by: Nancy Montgomery | .

Stars and Stripes | .

published: June 13, 2018

VICENZA, Italy — When most of U.S. Army Garrison Italy’s first-ever gay pride event was canceled last year after some parents complained they didn’t want their children “indoctrinated,” organizer Bert Gillott was frustrated.

“It makes me angry that people still think like that,” said Gillott, a retired Air Force master sergeant who spent decades hiding that he was gay. “Parents who don’t know anyone who is LGBT, they think we’re bad people.”

But he was also undeterred. The protocol officer for U.S. Army Africa put his organizational skills to work for this year’s event to mark LGBT Pride Month.

Instead of hosting an internationally known activist to speak, as was done last year, he asked soldiers, civilians and students — members of the community — to tell their stories.